Queen Hatshepsut erected four obelisks in the temple of Amun at Karnak, two of which have disappeared entirely. Of the remaining pair. the northern one still stands in its original position, while its companion has fallen. The obelisks are of pink Assuan granite. 

A column of inscription was carved on each of the four sides of the shaft, and subsequently side columns with offering scenes were added. The bases on which the obelisks rested were also inscribed on all four sides. The shaft and base inscriptions of the standing obelisk (except for the later additions to the shaft) are translated below. The obelisk is 97 .5 feet high and is now the tallest standing obelisk in Egypt. The base inscription is a single text of thiny-two lines which circles the base beginning on the south side. 

In the inscriptions the Queen makes several emphatic points: Her devotion to her divine father Amun and to her earthly father Thut­mose I. The obelisks are erected to the glory of A mun and to the memory ofThutmose I. Funhermore, she wants it correctly understood that each obelisk consists of a single monolith of granite, and that their gilding had required inordinate amounts of the finest gold. Lastly, there is the theme of her right to the throne, an ever present concern in her inscriptions: her father Amun had destined her to be king. Masculine and feminine designations of her person alternate in her pronouncements: she is the son and the daughter of Amun.